Center curtain air bag apparatus for vehicle
A center curtain air bag apparatus for a vehicle efficiently protects a rear seat passenger with an air bag cushion that is deployed during a car collision accident.
Latest Hyundai Motor Company Patents:
The present application claims priority of Korean Patent Application Number 10-2011-0095037 filed Sep. 21, 2011, the entire contents of which application is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a center curtain air bag apparatus for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a center curtain air bag apparatus for protecting a rear seat passenger when a car collision accident happens.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, an indoor space of a car may be configured as a combined single space of a front space 2 for a front seat passenger 1 and a rear space 4 for a rear seat passenger 3, as shown in
As a result, when a car collision accident happens while the rear seat passenger 3 does not put on a safety belt, the rear seat passenger 3 may be moved to a front part of a car due to an inertial force and then collide with the front seat passenger 1, or with car interior materials such as a dash panel 5 or a front glass 6, as shown in
In a part of cars such as a high class car or a limousine, a device for separating the front space 2 and the rear space 4, if necessary, may be provided, however, the device does not sufficiently protect a rear seat passenger when a car collision accident happens.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIONThe present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above-described problems associated with the prior art, and to provide a center curtain air bag apparatus through which a combined interior space of a car is divided into a front space and a rear space when a car collision accident happens, and at the same time a rear seat passenger can be protected efficiently.
Various aspects of the present invention provide for a center curtain air bag apparatus for a vehicle according to the present invention includes an air bag housing which is installed to be adhered closely to a roof panel in a left and right direction of a car body, between a front seat and a rear seat, an inflator which is fixed into the air bag housing and produces air bag gas through an explosive operation by a control signal from an air bag ECU, and an air bag cushion, an upper end of which is fixed to the air bag housing and comprises a chamber divided into a plurality thereof wherein the air bag cushion is folded to be adhered closely to the air bag housing and then is deployed toward a floor panel by a pressure produced when the inflator is exploded.
The center curtain air bag apparatus may include a diffuser which is fixed into the air bag housing, together with the inflator, and dividedly supplies the air bag gas coming from the inflator into the respective chambers of the air bag cushion, and a pair of support panels which are connected to both sides of the air bag cushion and a center pillar to minimize a movement of the air bag cushion when a pressure is applied to the air bag cushion.
The air bag cushion may be connected integrally to a curtain air bag so that a movement of the air bag cushion is minimized when a pressure is applied to the deployed air bag cushion.
Both ends of the air bag housing may be fixed through a support bracket to an edge of a car body panel, to which the roof panel and a side panel are connected.
A retainer covered by the air bag cushion may be provided on an upper end of the air bag cushion, and the air bag housing, the air bag cushion and the retainer are connected integrally through a plurality of pins.
The chamber may be divided by a plurality of needle lines sewn vertically wherein the chamber has the same upper end interval as the lower end interval.
It is understood that the term “vehicle” or “vehicular” or other similar term as used herein is inclusive of motor vehicles in general such as passenger automobiles including sports utility vehicles (SUV), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including a variety of boats and ships, aircraft, and the like, and includes hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g. fuels derived from resources other than petroleum). As referred to herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that has two or more sources of power, for example both gasoline-powered and electric-powered vehicles.
The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention.
It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.
In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONReference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
A center curtain air bag apparatus for a vehicle according to the present invention is configured such that when a car accident does not happen on an ordinary day, the center curtain air bag allows an interior space of a car to be a combined single space, as shown in
That is, a center curtain air bag apparatus according to the present invention, as shown in
Herein, both ends of the air bag housing 20, which are disposed left-rightward based on a car body, are fixed to a car body panel 13 wherein a support bracket 14 is welded integrally to the air bag housing 20 and the support bracket 14 is connected to the car body panel 13.
The car body panel 13 is an edge panel connecting a roof panel 11 and a side panel and devices for connecting the support bracket 14 and the car body panel 13 may be a bolt 15 and a nut 16, but the devices are not limited thereto.
The air bag housing 20 may be connected directly to the roof panel 11, however, in this case, appearance beauty may be damaged due to an exposure of a welding part or a connection member into an interior of a car and further when a separate member is used to avoid the exposure of the welding part or the connecting member, the number of parts is increased to raise costs.
However, in a case where both ends of the air bag housing 20 are connected to an edge of the car body panel 13 connecting the roof panel 11 and a side panel, using the support bracket 14, the bolt 15 and the nut 16, connecting parts are not exposed to an interior of a car, thereby not damaging appearance beauty. Specially, a connecting strength may be increased through using the support bracket 14 and thus an air bag housing disconnection caused from an explosive force from the inflator 40 may be avoided.
A retainer 70 may be provided on an upper end of the air bag cushion 50 to be surrounded thereby and further the air bag housing 20, the air bag cushion 50 and the retainer 70 may be connected integrally through a plurality of connecting pins 71.
The retainer 70 serves to further increase a connecting force of the air bag housing 20 and the air bag cushion 50.
Furthermore, in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, a pair of support panels 80 may be further provided to be connected to both side surfaces of the air bag cushion 50 and a center pillar 12 in order to minimize a movement of the air bag cushion 50 and sufficiently protect a rear seat passenger 30 when the air bag cushion 50 is deployed and a rear seat passenger 30 contacts the deployed air bag cushion 50 and thus a predetermined pressure is applied to the air bag cushion 50.
On an ordinary day when a car accident does not happen, the support panel 80 is disposed in the center pillar 12 not to be exposed outside and when the air bag cushion 50 is deployed when a car accident happens, the support panel 80 may tear through a tear line formed in the center pillar 12 to protrude into an interior of a car wherein the support panel 80 may be foldable such as a bellows.
Further, in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, the air bag cushion 50 may be connected integrally with a curtain air bag 90 to minimize a movement of the air bag cushion 50
The curtain air bag 90 may be replaced with the support panel 80, or added to the support panel 80.
Meanwhile,
The air bag cushion 50 shown in
As shown in
The air bag cushion 50 as shown in
As shown in
The air bag cushion 50 shown in
That is, the respective chamber 51 as shown in
As shown in
The air bag cushion 50 shown in
That is, the respective chamber 51 as shown in
As shown in
The connection passages 56 disposed on the left and right ends of the air bag cushion 50 correspond to the heads of passengers who are seated on the left and right parts of the rear seat 8, respectively and when the connection passage 56 is swollen further, the head of the rear seat passenger 3 can be protected more efficiently.
The air bag cushion 50 shown in
As shown in
As described above, according to a center curtain air bag apparatus according to the present invention, the air bag cushion 50 may be deployed to be divided into a front space 2 in which a front seat 7 is disposed and a rear space 4 in which a rear seat 8 is disposed, and at the same time an upper body of a rear seat passenger 3 moving toward a front side of a car due to an inertial force can be efficiently protected through the deployed air bag cushion 50 and thus the passenger can be protected efficiently.
In accordance with the present invention providing a center curtain air bag apparatus, an air bag is deployed to be divided into a front space in which a front seat is disposed and a rear space in which a rear seat is disposed, and at the same time an upper body of a rear seat passenger moving forwardly due to an inertia force can be protected by the deployed air bag cushion, thereby efficiently protecting the passenger.
For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms upper or lower, front or rear, inside or outside, and etc. are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures.
The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A center curtain air bag apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:
- an air bag housing installed to folded and stored along a roof panel in a left and right direction of a car body, between a front seat and a rear seat;
- an inflator fixed to the air bag housing that generates air bag gas by an explosive operation by a control signal from an air bag ECU; and
- an air bag cushion including an upper end fixed to the air bag housing and a plurality of chambers, wherein the air bag cushion is folded to be adhered closely to the air bag housing and then is deployed downward toward a floor panel by a pressure produced when the inflator is exploded;
- wherein the airbag cushion is connected to an intermediate portion of a side curtain airbag so that movement of the air bag cushion in a traverse direction of the vehicle is minimized when a pressure is applied to the air bag cushion.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a diffuser fixed within the air bag housing, together with the inflator, and dividedly supplies the air bag gas coming from the inflator into respective chambers of the air bag cushion.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pair of support panels connected to both sides of the air bag cushion and a center pillar to minimize a movement of the air bag cushion when a pressure is applied to the air bag cushion.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein both ends of the air bag housing are fixed by a support bracket to an edge of a car body panel, to which the roof panel and a side panel are connected.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a retainer covered by the air bag cushion is provided on an upper end of the air bag cushion, and the air bag housing, the air bag cushion and the retainer are connected by a plurality of connecting pins.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air bag cushion is divided into the plurality of chambers by a plurality of needle lines sewn vertically wherein the chamber has the same upper end interval L1 as the lower end interval L2.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air bag cushion is divided into the plurality of chambers by a plurality of needle lines sewn vertically wherein a middle chamber of the air bag cushion has a wider space than those of left and right chambers.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air bag cushion is divided into the plurality of chambers by a plurality of needle lines sewn vertically wherein the upper end interval L4 of the chamber is narrower than that of the lower end interval L5.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air bag cushion is divided into the plurality of chambers by a plurality of needle lines sewn vertically wherein the upper end interval L6 of the chamber is narrower than that of the lower end interval L7, and the chamber disposed on a left upper end of the air bag cushion and the chamber disposed on a right upper end of the air bag cushion communicate through a connection passage.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air bag cushion is divided into the plurality of chambers by a plurality of needle lines sewn vertically spaced from one another wherein the chambers are communicated through a middle passage 58 formed on a middle part of the air bag cushion.
| 3606377 | September 1971 | Martin |
| 3650542 | March 1972 | Shimano et al. |
| 3733088 | May 1973 | Stephenson |
| 3774936 | November 1973 | Barnett et al. |
| 5186492 | February 16, 1993 | Wright et al. |
| 5195775 | March 23, 1993 | Komerska et al. |
| 5255937 | October 26, 1993 | EmamBakhsh et al. |
| 5470103 | November 28, 1995 | Vaillancourt et al. |
| 5560644 | October 1, 1996 | Fiore |
| 5607179 | March 4, 1997 | Lenart et al. |
| 6283500 | September 4, 2001 | Eckert et al. |
| 6457740 | October 1, 2002 | Vaidyaraman et al. |
| 6648367 | November 18, 2003 | Breed et al. |
| 6672619 | January 6, 2004 | Ennerdal et al. |
| 7125069 | October 24, 2006 | Cacucci et al. |
| 7195276 | March 27, 2007 | Higuchi |
| 7461858 | December 9, 2008 | Hirata |
| 7862074 | January 4, 2011 | Deng et al. |
| 7926840 | April 19, 2011 | Choi |
| 8393637 | March 12, 2013 | Choi et al. |
| 20040066022 | April 8, 2004 | Mori et al. |
| 20040239083 | December 2, 2004 | Mori et al. |
| 20040239084 | December 2, 2004 | Mori et al. |
| 20050082797 | April 21, 2005 | Welford et al. |
| 20060175814 | August 10, 2006 | Jang et al. |
| 20100140909 | June 10, 2010 | Jang |
| 20120133114 | May 31, 2012 | Choi et al. |
| 2008-284904 | November 2008 | JP |
- Adhere Definition, Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, available at http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adhere (last visited on Mar. 22, 2013).
- Adjacent Definition, Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, available at http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adjacent (last visited Mar. 23, 2013).
Type: Grant
Filed: May 15, 2012
Date of Patent: Nov 5, 2013
Patent Publication Number: 20130069348
Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Seoul)
Inventors: Jun Yeol Choi (Seoul), Dae Young Kwak (Yongin-si)
Primary Examiner: Joseph Rocca
Application Number: 13/472,026
International Classification: B60R 21/214 (20110101); B60R 21/232 (20110101);
